were caught up in iron ladles brought out of the Duke of
Atholl's kitchen, and thrown into water. Disappointed in this attempt,
Lord George removed his few field-pieces to a nearer position on the
south side of the Castle, where, however, his firing produced no better
effect than heretofore.

Never was there an officer more insensible to fear than the defender of
Blair. Whilst Lord George was thus ineffectually battering the walls of
the house, Sir Andrew Agnew looked out over the battlements; and seeing
the little impression that was made on the walls, he exclaimed, "Hout! I
daresay the man's mad, knocking down his own brother's house."

Meantime the siege lasted nearly a fortnight, and the garrison were
reduced to the greatest extremity for provisions. One hope, however, the
commandant had, and that was of sallying forth, and escaping. The Castle
of Menzies was then occupied by Colonel Webster, who was posted there in
order to secure the passage of the river Tay; and, as an alternative to
starvation, a scheme was suggested for stealing out from Blair in the
night time, and marching through a mountainous part of country to join
the king's troops at Castle Menzies.

Whilst this project was in contemplation, the brave garrison were
threatened with a new danger. During the blockade, there was heard a
noise of knocking, seemingly beneath the floor of the Castle, as if
miners were at work in its deep vaults, to blow it up. All the inmates
of Blair thought such must indeed be the case: for Lord George had now
gained possession of a bowling-green near the Castle, and also of a
house in which the bowls were kept: from this bowl-house a subterranean
passage might easily have been dug to the very centre of the ground
underneath the building, and a chamber or mine formed there for holding
barrels of gunpowder, sufficient to complete the work of destruction.
This scheme must have occurred to the mind of Lord George Murray, who
was born at Blair, and well acquainted with its construction. His
objections to pursue it appear, as has been stated, to have been
perceived and controverted by the Marquis of Tullibardine. They arose,
as he has himself declared, and as the English also appear to have
considered, from his want of workmen to perform the attempt. The plan of
undermining was not thought practicable; and the noise which so greatly
alarmed the garrison was proved to be only the reverberation of strokes
of an axe with which a so